this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2026
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I've legit thought about this a lot. I'd like someone to be able to take over my Steam account given I have over a thousand purchased games on there.
I like how every gamer has a Steam library full of games they'll never play, but thinks that someone else might want to play them some day. It's like the modern day equivalent of a grandparent's attic.
I mean, my brother and I use Steam Family Sharing to access each others’ games. It’s a really generous policy nowadays. And if one of us died, I can see how being able to pass those games on to the other would be nice.
You're not wrong, but at the same time, there's that chance. I like older games, I would have been grateful to get a library like mine, lol, maybe someone else will.
Exactly. It is personal property and must be treated as such.
I'm planning to put my Steam account details in the same envelope as my will and bequeath it to my kids lol. Generational games library
Just don't tell Valve about it.
https://ohepic.com/steam-inheritance-why-you-cant-transfer-your-game-library/
This is why I always check to see if a game is listed on GoG before buying on steam. Even if it costs 15% more, it still feels worth it.
Yep that's why I said planning to
;). There's no practical way they can tell I'm dead, assuming people don't try to change the credit card on file or address or anything like that. Worst case scenario it's not that big a deal anyway. Even if they only get to play for like 6 months that's still pretty good in my books.Things are in a funny state huh? I wonder what the economic impact of so much digital value disappearing into the void will be... Normally you can pass on stuff like DVD collections and other assets, but increasingly we seem to own nothing and assets die with us.
The credit card company is going to cancel your card once it finds out. They have access to your Social Sec I'd and credit score. They'll know once your taxes are filed, if not sooner.
theyre not going to check shit.
You think credit card companies are in the business of leaving cards bringing to dead people open? People who can no longer be held liable to pay the debts that are accrued?
Yeah that makes sense. But would they send a letter to Valve or something?
No, the credit card would get cancelled. Then if anyone wanted to buy anything else on the account, would have to put their own on it, which has their name.
I guess if no one did that, it might be overlooked. Maybe. Honestly, who knows with how much info mega companies have managed to collect on everyone and distribute to anyone willing to pay.
Tbf I've made a payment on my account with another person's card.
I was broke and friends wanted to play a game with me and since I was already hanging out with them in person, rather than gifting the game, my friend just generated a one-time use card in Revolut and I paid using that.
Account still there.
Name on the card is not conclusive proof of death by any means.
You could get around the named card issue with gifting games to the account. Not sure which would stand out the most.
Sounds more like you need a time machine, and a clue.
I've never met a human being that didn't collect things they'll never use, and yet everyone judges other people's collections, lol.
Make sure you erase your sim save files before death